A Fanciful Length of Katazome Cotton: Butterflies and Peonies

This is a charming length of old, indigo dyed katazome cloth that shows a pattern of butterflies frolicking among peonies.

The quality of katazome is a bit blurred. This is due to the cloth being stencil resist dyed on both sides and in so doing, the registration of the application of rice paste on each side did not match, so the finished result is a pattern that is blurry or fuzzy.

But the pattern is rich. Three different types of elegant butterflies are playing in a field of stylized peonies; one of the butterflies is rendered in a faux shibori style, which is charming.

The length is composed of three pieces which are hand stitched together.

Some overall wear can be seen on this length, which is normal for a cloth that is a hundred years old.